There is a variety of resources and activities available for parents and carers of children aged 0-5 years to support their development and learning in readiness for school through play.
Below is a list of organisations providing useful resources and activities for you to do with your little ones to help keep them active, engaged and learning whilst at home:
Cheshire West and Chester Libraries
It is now possible to join the library online and access eBooks, audio downloads, eMagazines and some eResources straight away without having to collect a card in-branch.
Complete the online joining form using the link below:
Join Online - Chesire West and Cheshire
After completing the form email libraries
This temporary card will be initially valid for one year, and can be exchanged for a physical card once libraries reopen.
Find a library - Chesire West and Chesire
BookTrust
Get useful tips and advice about how to read as a family, setting up a great bedtime routine, and how to encourage reading in your school.
Hungry Little Minds
Simple, fun activities for kids, from newborn to five. You’ll find some short videos and simple, fun activities that you and your child can do together.
The National Literacy Trust
Resources and tools for early language development and parental engagement.
The National Literacy Trust - Early Years
Speech and Language UK
Their free resources and services can help with understanding what to look out for, child’s speech, language and communication milestones, how to get support and even some simple ways you can help your child at home.
Speech and Language UK - Help for Families
Tiny Happy People
Tiny Happy People is here to help you develop your child's communication skills. Explore our simple activities and play ideas and find out about their amazing early development.
Other useful resources:
Early Years Foundation Stage (0-5) - CWaC LiveWell
What to Expect in Early Years - Foundation Years
Starting nursery or school may feel daunting for your child and you too. You are your little one’s greatest teacher and role model and we want to work together make sure your child is ready to begin their educational journey.
If you feel you need advice with any aspect of your child's development, please contact your local Children's Centre.
We can offer a variety of support to help your child to be:
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ready to separate
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ready to communicate
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ready to listen
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ready to socialise
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ready to learn
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ready to be active
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ready to be independent
Useful Resources:
Heuristic play is a simple child-led approach to helping your little one learn. Heuristic play allows babies and young children to make choices and develop preferences using a variety of natural and household resources.
Playing with the treasure baskets must be as child-led as possible. With your not-yet-mobile babies, their learning can be supported by sitting them up and handing them materials to explore.
Have fun with your little one exploring the never ending learning opportunities of Heuristic play.
It is NEVER too early or too late or to start sharing books with your child. It’s a great chance to sit, cuddle up and enjoy a book, and deepen your ever growing bond. Books can be shared throughout the day, anytime and anyplace…they don’t have to be saved for bedtime.
Did you know? Before your little one learns to speak, they enjoy listening to the sound of your voice. This gives your child a feel for the sounds, rhythm and rhymes of language.
What you need:
Your favourite story book
...and a place to get comfortable, cushions, blankets or even a den
Play dough cutters are great, but without cutters your child has the opportunity to use their imagination even more! Their creations can be anything they want...cakes, dinosaur footprints or maybe even a wiggly worm at the bottom of the garden. ‘How many wiggly worms to we have 1, 2, 3, 4.
If you have a childs knife and fork set, you can use this to make patterns, shapes and finer details.
What you need:
- 2 cups plain flour
- 1/2 cup salt
- 1/5 cup luke warm water adding in increments
Optional:
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp. cream of tartar
- Food colouring, essence
Using paper and crayons to draw your own masterpiece, as you draw model how you talk about your picture…
“I’m using a blue crayon”
“Look at this big circle”
“This is the wheel for my bike”
You don’t have to be a fantastic drawer, in fact, the more abstract the better so your child doesn’t feel they have to produce something ‘perfect’ like yours.
As your child draws, don’t ask them what it is, ask them to tell you about it.
Remember to praise all efforts from your child, scribbles are a normal part of development for your child’s mark making skills and often the more scribbly pictures are a far better talking point than a perfectly formed flower or house.
You can play about with different types of marks and ask your child to follow your instructions, draw scribbles, up and down zig zags, circles and then instruct them to “stop” before they “go” and carry on with their scribbles.
You can turn this into a little rhyme that they will begin to repeat with you:
“Up and down, up and down, round and round, and round and round and stop”
Block play is open ended. Your child’s creations can be anything they want it to be from a rocket blasting off in to space, to a farmyard or fairy garden. The possibilities are endless! There is no right or wrong way to play with blocks.
Block play allows your child to develop in all areas of learning. For example Maths; balance, estimation, patterns sizes. Physical development; spatial awareness, development of hand and finger muscles Language; telling the story of what they are creating. Personal social and emotional; self-resilience when challenge occurs, confidence in achieving their goal and overcoming obstacles.
In your bag you have a few wooden blocks to get you started, but there will lots of other things around your house you can add; empty containers and boxes...so get washing out the used butter tub!